While Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr. were named baseball's top rookies, the Braves outfielder has flashed the potential to quickly become one of the game's elite players.

Dan Mullen ESPN.com

Shohei Ohtani's incredible two-way season ends with AL Rookie of the Year honors as the Angels pitcher/slugger downed a pair of Yankees teammates in Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres for the award. Ohtani received 25 of the 30 first-place votes.

Mookie or Trout? Verlander or Snell? DeGrom with just 10 wins?? We break down all the angles in advance of baseball's major award announcements.

William Weinbaum ESPN

In a statement Sun. by Babe Ruth's daughter Julia Ruth Stevens, 102, and her family, about his Presidential Medal of Freedom, they expressed pride in his visits to children in hospitals & orphanages, paying hospital bills for people he barely knew, support of 100+ charities, encouragement of integrated baseball & outspokenness against German persecution of Jews. "Everyone was equal in Babe's eyes - rich or poor, white or black," they said.

share

William Weinbaum ESPN

Contacted by ESPN Sat., Linda Ruth Tosetti — granddaughter of Babe Ruth, newly named Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient — said for 37 years she wrote letters seeking the honor & she got the idea from her mother Dorothy Ruth Pirone, whom she told on her deathbed in 1989 that she wouldn't give up. Tosetti said she's grateful to her husband Andrew & all supporters, adding, "My mom's laughing in heaven and saying, ‘we did it'" and that a proud Babe would say, "Thanks, Prez."

share

William Weinbaum ESPN

Babe Ruth died 8/16/48 & Elvis Presley 8/16/77 — now both are to be Presidential Medal of Freedom honorees on Fri., the White House announced Sat. Pres. Trump is to also bestow this highest civilian honor on former NFL greats Alan Page & Roger Staubach, retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch, the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia & philanthropist/Republican donor Dr. Miriam Adelson.